4 tips to help you optimize for voice search in 2020

This year, half of all searches are expected to be voice-based. 

So if you want to drive more search engine traffic to your website, then you’ll need to optimize for voice. 

Marketo put it best: 

Voice search is essential because as more voice technologies develop, consumers will use them more frequently. Google will react accordingly. First, we saw the switch to mobile-first indexing. When will we see voice-first indexing?

Google is already reacting and adapting to the rise of voice technologies. 

The company first introduced featured snippets to cater to both mobile and voice search in 2016. 

Since then, the number of featured snippets has steadily risen. And now, they appear in as many as 73% of mobile searches and 86% of searches done on desktop. 

Optimizing your website for voice search isn’t optional anymore—it’s pretty much a necessity if you want to stay competitive. 

Here are 4 tips to help you update your SEO strategy for 2020. 

4 tips to help you optimize your website for voice

1. Improve your user experience

If you want your website to rank well, it needs to provide a great user experience, especially to people on their phones. 

Google will downgrade your website in the rankings if it isn’t mobile-friendly and fast. 

Ideally, your website should load in 2 seconds or less. It should also pass the mobile-friendliness test in Google Search Console

If it doesn’t, Google will give you some suggestions for improving your user experience, which you should get to work on right away.

2. Get the featured snippet

A recent study showed that around half of all searches are no-click. If the study is accurate, that means the only search results half of all users are seeing (or hearing) are featured snippets. 

People who are searching on desktop and mobile are also much more likely to click on the first result in Google, so obtaining position zero will bring extra traffic to your website. 

To receive the envied featured snippet and be favored in the voice search, answer the question your audience is asking, include essential details, but keep it brief. 

Marketo

Featured snippets often answer questions that begin with who, how, why, when, or what. To rank there, you’ll have to answer the questions search users are asking in an accurate, concise way. 

Things like charts, numbered lists, and bullet points can also help break up your content and increase your chances of ranking in position zero.

3. Create conversational content rich in long-tail keywords

People ask each other questions a lot differently than the way they ask Google. 

Think about it. 

When someone wants to find a great apple pie recipe online, they type “best apple pie recipe” into the Google search bar.  

But if your coworker asks you for your favorite pie recipe, they’ll use real, conversational language. 

Instead of speaking in sentence fragments, they’ll ask a full question like “What is your favorite apple pie recipe?”

People speak to their voice assistants the same way, so voice searches typically contain more full questions and long-tail keywords. Keep that in mind if you’re trying to get your content to rank in position zero.

4. Think local

In 2019, 58% of consumers had used voice search to find a local business within the last year. That number will likely grow in 2020. 

So if you own a small business and want to rise in the search rankings, you should optimize your website for popular local searches. 

We have a feeling that voice is going to be one of the biggest trends in technology and search in 2020. Get a head start by optimizing your website now—before your competition realizes the importance of voice search too.